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The Association of Licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations of Nigeria (ALDAPCON) has lauded President Bola Tinubu for signing the Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2023 into law saying the new law will boost economic development across sectors.
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The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 provides a legal framework for the protection of personal information, and the practice of data protection in Nigeria which ALDAPCON has aggressively championed.
“We want to commend Mr. President for this progressive Act. We congratulate Nigerians and particularly note the great works put in by your agency to ensure this bill is passed,” said Chairman of ALDAPCON, Ivan Anya who recently led other members of the association including its Secretary, Aliyu Abdulaziz, and Amb. Olusegun Adedgile to the newly created Nigeria Data Protection Commission where the association met with the National Commissioner, Dr. Vincent Olatunji and other members of the Commission.
The new law establishes the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and replaces the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) established by President Buhari in February 2022. Led by the National Commissioner, Dr, Olatunji, the Commission is charged with the responsibility for regulating the practice of data protection amongst others.
New law will protect data sovereignty, enhance GDP
According to Anya, the Data Protection Act will help enhance the data privacy and confidentiality of Nigerians, enable effective dataflow, boost Nigeria’s steadily growing data protection industry necessitating new levels of skillsets and jobs that will impact significantly on the economy and protect the country’s data sovereignty as well as enhance GDP.
The new law will ensure better clarity in the roles of data processors and data controllers, the association stated even as it urged the Commission to increase its level of engagement with ALDAPCON with respective to the Commission’s various activities.
“We are here as stakeholders to grow the industry and as a partner of the Commission to ensure continuous engagement with you as a regulator for the overall health of the industry,” the association stated.
Data Protection Compliance Organisations licensed by the Commission
Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) are licensed by the Commission and their roles include monitoring compliance with the extant data regulations and ensuring that data controllers do not breach the provisions of the Act.
Among others DPCOs offer data protection regulations compliance and breach services for data controllers and data administrators; data protection and privacy advisory services; data protection training and awareness services; data regulations contracts drafting and advisory; data protection and privacy breach remediation planning and support services; information privacy audit; data privacy breach impact assessment; data protection and privacy due diligence investigation; and outsourced data protection officer among others within the framework of the Act.
Anya also requested the Commission to readily make the signed copy of the bill available as this will be useful to ALDAPCON members who would be carrying out comparative analysis as well as development of white papers.
“Now that, there is a statute to guide all activities around data privacy and data protection in Nigeria”, ALDAPCON urged for a more robust collaboration between the regulator and operators in a way that will better benefit the country in areas that include awareness creation and training which the law empowers DPCOs to do.
The National Commissioner in response applauded ALDAPCON for its steady growth as an association and its increasing relevance in the industry. He encouraged the DPCOs to take the Code of Practice serious and render quality service to their clients.
He agreed with the association on the need for strong awareness around issues of data protection and urged DPCOs to leverage the media to build a strong industry voice even as he assured that the Commission will to provide a copy of the signed Bill after necessary gazette is complete.
Also, Dr. Olatunji while assuring the DPCOs of the Commission’s support urged them to employ quality staff to enhance the growth of their respective companies and be strategic in building strong network amongst themselves.
